In 2007 the Republic of San Marino once again captured the attention of the regional press owing to claims that the country’s financial institutions were being used to launder funds involving criminal activities in surrounding Italy. The allegation was serious enough that the Italian high commissioner for corruption in public administration met with San Marino’s chief foreign affairs officer to review the matter. In late October the Great and General Council resigned, but the parliamentary crisis was averted, and on November 28 a new cabinet was installed.

The economy was strong overall; the IMF reported in April that GDP growth in 2006 was about 5%, with unemployment hovering at about 2%. San Marino assembled a team of experts to discuss prospects for future growth. The surprising findings showed that the country’s strongest sector was not finance but rather industry, which accounted for about half of the country’s wealth and involved more than 3,000 firms. Finance followed, strengthened by new legislation to ensure transparency and security for investors. The third sector of economic relevance was tourism, which, however, would require new investment in order to remain competitive. Some experts suggested that San Marino would make an attractive location for the head offices of multinational enterprises, which could be enticed to relocate through tax incentives and improved financial services.